underworld

noun

Save Word

un·der·world | \ ˈən-dər-ˌwərld

Definition of underworld

1 : the place of departed souls : hades

2 archaic : earth

3 : the side of the earth opposite to one : antipodes

4 : a social sphere below the level of ordinary life the town's seedy underworld especially : the world of organized crime

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about underworld

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of underworld in a Sentence

a magazine article taking an insightful look at the underworld inhabited by street people

Recent Examples on the Web Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in a show about a family that jumps from the frying pan into the fire when they get caught up in the criminal underworld in the Ozarks. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, "The 100 Best TV Shows on Netflix Right Now," 1 Feb. 2021 In Mesoamerican mythology, an immense tree grows at the center of the universe, stretching its roots into the underworld and cradling earth and heaven in its trunk and branches. — Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, "On Trees as Social Creatures and Fungi as the ‘Fabric of the Forest’," 10 Dec. 2020 Covered in protective gear, with her husband barely conscious, Mendez sang him an Apache medicine song to ease his passage to Mictlan, the Aztec underworld. — Marc Fisher, Washington Post, "Covid’s U.S. toll: Nearly 300,000 dead and a stalemate between fatalism and hope," 12 Dec. 2020 The story was referencing Hades, Supergiant Games' hit action game in which Zagreus, prince of the underworld, tries repeatedly in vain to escape his father's realm. — Joshua Rivera, Wired, "Video Game Hell Isn’t Nearly Agonizing Enough," 22 Dec. 2020 This time, her criminal father, Michael McBride, a shady businessman with ties to London’s underworld, plays a small role in the plot. — Oline H. Cogdill, sun-sentinel.com, "Review: A cold case heats up in Caz Frear’s ‘Shed No Tears’," 23 Nov. 2020 In Mesoamerican mythology, an immense tree grows at the center of the universe, stretching its roots into the underworld and cradling earth and heaven in its trunk and branches. — Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, "On Trees as Social Creatures and Fungi as the ‘Fabric of the Forest’," 10 Dec. 2020 In Mesoamerican mythology, an immense tree grows at the center of the universe, stretching its roots into the underworld and cradling earth and heaven in its trunk and branches. — New York Times, "The Social Life of Forests," 2 Dec. 2020 Instead, the film rigorously stays with her as she and the baby are plunged into a loosely connected underworld meant to shield her from whatever trouble is after her. — Jake Coyle, Star Tribune, "Review: Reorienting the crime drama in 'I'm Your Woman'," 2 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'underworld.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.